Stockholm – The Finnish president and interior minister on Monday criticised the vandalism of a synagogue in the south-western city of Turku, in which unknown assailants spattered paint on the building.
Spatters of red paint were seen on the entrance door, front steps and walls of the synagogue, local daily Abo Underrattelser and public broadcaster YLE reported.
The vandalism was detected earlier on Monday.
“Outrageous and unacceptable. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Finland,’’ tweeted Interior Minister Maria Ohtisalo.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who was visiting Poland, said the incident was very disturbing. He planned to address the incident and racism in general in more detail later, YLE reported.
Niinisto was among the leaders, survivors and other dignitaries attending a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp as well as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Harry Serlo, member of the Turku synagogue, one of two synagogues in Finland said the incident would be reported to police, said YLE .
The two Finnish synagogues have about 1,800 members.
Separately, YLE reported that the Roman Catholic church in Turku was vandalised last week.
According to YLE Someone had written Stop hiding the pedophiles’ in black and ‘Liers’ in red on the wall,’’ said Stanislaw Zawilowicz of St Bridget and Blessed Hemming’s parish.
Zawilovicz said it was the second time the church had been vandalised this year.
Both incidents were reported to the police. (dpa/NAN)
